Alright. I wish I would have made the descison to do this instead of choosing guitar by now, but, I am considering picking up the sticks and playing drums. My only fear is the time it takes to actually become a "decent" drummer. I have played guitar for about a year now, and consider myself somewhat decent. How long would you have said it had taken you to become a decent drummer?

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my bassist did this, he just did it actually. it takes time and patience just start from the beggining and work your way up. practice like a motherfucker.

Do it. I have been playing guitar since I was 7. I'm now 27, so I don't think I will ever be completely comfortable with anything else. I will get a drum set soon as I plan to teach my little girl how to play them, if she doesn't decide to get a hold of my guitars as well. Either way I got another kid on the way so my chances of getting a drummer are good Thing is I got to learn how to play drums a bit in order to teach, but you know kids. They will learn everything I know and then learn more then I would have ever hoped to know.

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if you think like a drummer, and can be creative with what you do, You can become pretty decent rather quickly, but if you aren't creative, it takes longer to be good.

this is purely because if you aren't creative all your fills will sound like shit.

and also it depends what genre of metal you are trying to play, Death metal it takes a LONG time to be good, simply because you have to practice lots and have to get your endurance up to a VERY high standard to be good.

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I'd say it took half a year to get "decent" and a year to get "good". I really didnt know how good i was untill one of my friends came over and tried playing. Which was after about 2 years of playing. So my guesses are rough.
ive been playing for 4+ years now and i would say im pretty good. But its hard to know how good you are. I think i suck yet my friends think im awesome. Hell, Derek Roddy even thinks he sucks(he posted it on his forum)As a drummer, you always know what you can and cant do, and it pisses you off.
But it all depends on how much you practice. You can get good within months(Like me ) or it may take a couple of years(*cough* Transient *cough*). Hopfully i helped more here than our aim conversation, hah.

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hahaha

what are you talking about justin? i pick up a sticks and become a drummer roddy can only dream about


























sadly, those dreams are nightmares.

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Haha

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well i dont even drum i just mess around on friends sets and im pretty decent. i can blast, do pretty fast double bass(leg and ancle) all that shit. my fills aint the greatest but i havent really played for anytime and im decent. maybe i got the natural insticnt or something. my friend is getting better i have to slow him down on double bass too.

Thanks much for the into. For the fills thing; I can "imagine" them in my head I guess. I would pretty much be playing thrashish stuff with alot of double bass if I drummed.

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One more point, you can't really put a time stamp on it, it depends on your focus, ability, dedication, passion and how much you practice. I've been playing for a year and a half and I reckon I'm crap (and I have bad stagefright, so I can't play in front of others to let them judge me). Also, if you played guitar, it would have given you somewhat of a head start, I know of a gutiarist who switched after 7 years and after 8 months of playing he kicks my ass (but he's really tense when he plays and looks exhausted afterwards). Metal is fucking demanding, so it can take awhile.

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yeah you got a really good point. my newly changed drummer tends to go with the guitar to much so i have to settle him down.

Yeah I forgot to add if you transition from another instrument USUALLY this goves you an advantage, you have the basic musician skills (time keeping performing etc.) and guitarists use their wrists alot so they also have an advantage.

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